"Labor was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labor, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased." ~ Adam Smith

Profound & Whimsical

"Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow." ~ Douglas Pagels, These Are the Gifts I'd Like to Give to You

Funny

"If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend." ~ Doug Larson

If you don't wish to read the book, you can read more about the study at this Huff Post. The results can all be summed up very simply: Happiness is love.

After 75 years and 20 million dollars, the study found that love was the answer for men. I think it's safe to say that love is also the answer for women. We're all on this planet looking for love, trying to connect in an elemental way with one special person.

No wonder Romance Novels are so popular. Yes, men read them too, but they may not admit it.

If you've ever watched an animated program in your life, you must see I Know That Voice. (The link takes you to the webpage where you can rent it, buy it, or just video stream it.)

This documentary was one of many videos I watched with Amazon Prime Video Streaming while recovering from my little bit of surgery. I Know That Voice was absolutely delightful.

Although I was a big audiobook fan, I never really thought about the skill and talent required for voice over work until my novels started being produced as audiobooks.

I've worked with some amazing voice talents like Holly Adams, Nicole Colburn, Felicia Greenfield, Leah Frederick, Christine Padovan, and Robin Kohn Glazer. (You can find my audibooks on Audible.com and iTunes. Just do a search for my name.)

With my consciousness raised, I was particularly interested in watching I Know That Voice. I wasn't disappointed.

Starring A Cast of 1,000 Voices

John DiMaggio, the voice of Futurama, served as Executive Producer with Director Lawrence Shapiro and Producer Tommy Reid. They introduce you to the people behind the well-known voices and guide you through the fascinating world of voice acting.

The documentary is entertaining to the max when you see these ordinary looking people speaking in the voices we've come to know and love in cartoons, animated movies, and video games. Also interviewed are voice agents, casting directors, and producers. All the voice actors featured seem to be one big family with all of them knowing, liking, and admiring each other.

When these actors attend Comic Con's , they're treated like the amazing talents they are. Watching this made me more determined than ever to find the time to attend a Comic Con which has been on my goal list for a few years now.

I want to list some of these amazing actors in I Know That Voice and give a few of their credits that will probably be known by most readers even if you're not into video games, anime, or current cartoon shows. There are so many awesome actors in this documentary that I'm afraid I may leave some out even though I tried to take notes as I watched.

Hank Azaria (multiple Simpson voices)

Diedrich Bader (Tank, Batman, KungFu Panda, Green Lantern)

Gregg Berger (Garfield, Transformers, and more)

Noel Blanc (Mel Blanc's son who now voices Bugs and the other characters)

Steve Blum (lots of video game roles and English dubs of anime, Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop, Marvel's Wolverine, and Starscream in Transformers: Prime)

June Foray (Granny and Witch Hazel on Looney Tunes, Rocky as well as Natasha on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. June is in her 90's and still working. She won her first Emmy at 95.)

Mark Hamill (the original Luke Skywalker is a veteran voice actor. He is The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, as well as the spin-offs, The Hobgoblin in Spiderman: The Animated Series, Solomon Grundy and the Trickster from Justice League, Firelord Ozai on Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Skeleton King on Super Robot Monkey, and more)

Tom Kane (Powerpuff Girls, Monkey Fist from Kim Possible, Yoda from The Clone Wars, X-Men, Takeo in Call of Duty: World at War and Black Ops)

Rob Paulsen (Raphael from the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Antoine from the 1993 Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakko from Animaniacs, Pinky from Pinky and the Brain, Carl in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Please welcome Susan Oleksiw, author of the Anita Ray Mystery series, which is set in South India. So far, the series includes 3 novels and over a dozen short stories. It's exciting to find a mystery series set in exotic locales.
Susan also writes the Mellingham Series featuring Chief of Police Joe Silva, set in a small coastal town in New England.

Anita and her Auntie Meena travel to a family estate in central Kerala during the monsoon to visit relatives. When they arrive they find the family in disarray, and a new maidservant who is clearly frightened of something. In addition, an old family servant has disappeared after telling the family he was going on pilgrimage, and during a break in the rains, Anita finds a body swept down the river with unusual wounds.

When did you write For the Love of Parvati?

I started working on this formally in January 2011, but I began thinking about the book much earlier, probably one or two years before I started roughing out the idea. I'm a slow writer, so even though I expect to create a draft in three or four months, I know it will be several months after that before I have something good enough to show an editor. Once I begin writing a novel, however, I stick with it, writing every day no matter what. I may be working on other things, such as a blog post, book review, or short story, but I work on the novel daily until I have a complete draft.

What was the spark that gave you the story idea?

I visit India every year, partly because I love the country and partly to visit friends. Several years ago I was chatting with a fellow writer who is quite well known in Kerala, and writes novels in Malayalam, the local language. She has written stories in English and had one novel translated into English (Children of God, by Sarah Thomas). She prefers themes of social significance, and she was talking about her newest idea, a woman who escapes the civil war in Sri Lanka and makes her way to Kerala, where she finds work as a maidservant. She had spoken with the woman by phone, and the story had started to take shape. But about then her husband died, and she put aside her.

The idea stayed with me, and I was looking forward to seeing what she did with it. We talked a year or so later, and she said she wasn't going to write the story. She was painting now, and not writing. I asked if she'd mind if I took the story idea, so I have used it as the basis for the series of crimes in For the Love of Parvati. This is one of the very few times when I've taken on an idea I got from someone else.

I think the idea appealed to me because the Sri Lanka woman was an illegal alien with all the fears of her position that we find with the same group in the US. India is home to several communities of refugees, and they face the same fears as our immigrants face here.

Why do readers buy For the Love of Parvati?

If you want to get away from your own life and world, and immerse yourself in a different culture, the Anita Ray series will take you there. A lot more people know about India, have traveled there, or have friends from that country. The interest in other Asian countries is growing, and one of the best ways to explore another country is through stories.

I am told also that people love the relationship between Anita and her Auntie Meena. Anita is a very independent young woman photographer who has struck out on her own, to the dismay of her traditional extended family. Auntie Meena, Anita's mother's younger sister, is determined to bring her back into the fold by finding a suitable husband for her. Anita will have none of this, but that doesn't stop Meena.

Mickie Sherwood, author and a novice photographer, dropped by SlingWords this morning.

Meet Mickie Sherwood

Mickie, author of Cherished Moments, uses her backyard as the backdrop for her inspiration, Mickie loves taking pictures of nature. Her love of photography incites her creativity for writing. Spending time with her family and cruise vacations, also stokes her imagination. With all of her interests combined, fascinating characters and intriguing circumstances can develop.

Mickie also enjoys a good laugh. Revel in the humorous stories she shares about life, at her blog, Mickie's Mutterings.

My newest novel is a sweet romantic suspense entitled Cherished Moments. Senator Jordan Dupré is reluctant to revisit her past. That thought crumbles at the sight of Deacon Burke. His commanding presence and charming smile transports her back to her youth. Back then, she kissed, loved, lied, and left him—taking a life-changing secret with her.Scorned by Jordan’s dishonesty, Deke swears he never wants to see her lying face again. However, his heart knows better, and he never stops thinking of her. When Jordan’s husband is killed, Deke is summoned to the Senator’s aid, by an unlikely source—Unfortunately, he brings a secret of his own.Will secrets from their past reignite their cherished moments?

As an author, what can readers expect when they read one of your books?

Readers can expect characters with flair. My characters are compassionate people who aren't afraid to show a vulnerable side during challenging circumstances. However, love for each other and the strength of their convictions help them overcome the obstacles in their way.

How did you "become" an author? For instance, was there a moment when you said: "I think I'll write a book."

Exactly, Joan. An avid reader, the characters in novels I select have to appeal to me. I love a touchy-feely romance. Throw in life's chaos and you have the right mix. After enjoying many novels like that, I decided, in 2009, to create my own.

What's the best thing about being an author?

The best thing about being a author is when that idea strikes and my creative juices flow.

What's the worst thing about being an author?

The worst thing about being a writer is when, you probably guessed, an idea strikes but my creative juices seem dried up. What a dilemma.

Do you have editions of your books available other than ebook editions?

Yes, I do. Cutie and the Cowboy Trucker is also available in print.

Do you listen to audio books? If so, what device do you use?

Although that is on my list, I haven't listened to an audio book, yet.

What device do you use to read ebooks?

I prefer my laptop with the 17-inch screen.

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

Do you remember the golden oldie, Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep? I think that is good advice.

What's your policy on promises? Mine is exactly the same as the song title. I don't make promises I can't keep. That's how I live my life.

If I say I'm going to do something, then I try my very best to do it. This helps me sleep well at night, but sometimes it also makes me really, really tired. Why? Because I often over-commit when it comes to friends, family, and career.

Dealing With Promise Breakers

Often it seems that others I interact with don't understand that simple principle. I've been doing a lot of grumbling to darling hubby because of all those who blow off commitments. Sure would make life easier sometimes if I just blew them off the next time they ask me for a favor.

If you find yourself failing to meet your commitments, here are 5 rules you might want to incorporate into your life.

5 Promise Rules

1. Don't make a promise if you can't, won't, or don't intend to keep it.

2. Learn to say no. That's a biggie. If you blithely agree to everything asked of you, knowing you don't plan to follow through, stop it. That drives people crazy. So just say no instead.

3. When you make a commitment, also make a plan to keep it. Write it down so you won't forget. Then mark a date at least 2 weeks ahead of time so you have plenty of time to follow through. Make a day planner your best tool.

4. Treat all commitments as contracts. If you create deadlines or contracts in business, follow through or renegotiate. An agreement to guest blog should be treated with as much respect as a contract to publish a book. It also applies to showing up for meetings on time and everything else under the sun that in which you interact with others.

5. If you can't keep your promise, contact the person you promised immediately. Let them know you can't do it. If it's something you really want to do then ask for a future time slot. We all have to renegotiate occasionally. Only you know your life and your specific time demands. It's okay to renegotiate if you find you can't keep your original promise. Just be sure to do it in advance of the deadline.

Takeaway Truth

Why keep promises? Other than it's important for business trust, it's crucial to personal integrity. It's also a way of teaching integrity and honesty to your children.

A lot of people are cutting the cable or abandoning satellite TV service because they're darn tired of paying more than $100 a month to watch TV. Most of the viewers doing this complain that there's never anything on anyway!

We cut the satellite cable last year when we moved. Now we mostly watch local network stations, Netflix (9.95 a month to new subscribers) and Amazon Prime Streaming (99.00 a year which is about 8.40 a month, but I was an Amazon Prime member long before they offered video streaming just for the free shipping for that fee. I order enough books, business materials, etc. from Amazon every year that the membership fee more than pays for itself.).

Let me tell you in today's post and future ones how to make this happen so you too can cut the cable if you're so inclined.

Viable Alternatives

There really are viable alternatives to paying big bucks for TV. If you have a Smart TV, it's very easy to watch your favorite programs without having cable or satellite. If you have an older TV, you may have to do a bit of tweaking to find the best way, but it's not especially difficult.

How To Pay Little or Nothing To Watch Network TV

CBS, NBC, and ABC are the big 3 when it comes to network TV. Those broadcasts are easy to obtain. If you're accustomed to viewing network TV on cable or satellite, here are 3 ways to do it for free or less bucks.

1. HD Antenna

Get an HD antenna, and you can get all your local TV stations free. True, you have to buy one for each TV you want to view, but after the initial cost of the antenna, there's zero dollars out of your pocket. Anything broadcast by the networks is now yours for viewing for free.

The thing to know about HD antennas is that they don't look like the old rabbit ear antennas your grandparents might have had. Today the usual indoor HD Antenna is a small, sleek black box or a paper-thin adhesive square that can hang on your wall and even be painted your wall color to "disappear."

If you're into DIY, you can even get a large indoor antenna, mount it in your attic, and connect cabling from all your TVs to it--just like the cable or satellite installer does. These cost about $50-100. depending on which model you buy, and they are the Cadillac of indoor antennas.

What To Know About HD Antennas

How well an antenna works depends on the location of the TV, the TV's proximity to the television station's broadcast antenna, and the obstacles in that path. If you aren't in an area with hills or mountains, you shouldn't have a problem. If you're in the country, you may have to pay a bit more for an antenna with a long range.

If you live in the country and are not bound by deed restrictions, you have the option of getting an exterior HD Antenna. Again, not like the old outdoor antennas on a 30' pole, but a roof mounted antenna that catches a signal much as the small dishes do that are offered by the satellite TV companies.

If you want to know more, educate yourself about HD Antenna Choices. Just put what to know about hd antenna in your favorite search engine, and you'll find a wealth of information.

There are many HD antennas available. For one that picks up a signal for a distance of about 50 miles, the antenna costs about $30-50.

Since I'm in Houston, there are a lot of skyscrapers between my media room and the broadcast antennas, but I get 2 CBS stations (Houston and College Station), 2 ABC stations (the regular one and the LivWell Network which is like HGTV), NBC, 3 PBS stations, CW, whatever they're calling 20Vision now, Fox, ION, and 2 old movie channels plus a number of Spanish and Vietnamese stations.

(I'm a big documentary fan so I don't have Discovery, ID, and the cable channels I used to watch, but, guess what? Most of those documentaries are on Netflix and Amazon Prime Streaming. Next time I'll talk about those when I discuss Video Streaming options.)

2. Network TV Via The Network Website

You don't have to have an HD Antenna to watch current popular TV shows from the networks if you have a computer. ABC, NBC, Fox, and CW usually show the latest episode the day after it airs on television. In some cases, the episode is shown from 1 to 7 days after airing. Just get to know the network TV websites and when they show the full episode of your favorite shows on their website.

You can watch on your computer, but you don't have to. Buy a cable and connect your computer to your TV. See your TV manual for the right cable. For newer TV's that's usually an HDMI cable which means your computer must have an HDMI port as well. You can get an adapter if the line from your computer isn't HDMI. Search online for the right cable.

Of course, connecting a TV works better if you have a laptop or tablet. A lot of people I know have a dedicated computer connected to their TV and watch everything this way.

3. Network TV Via Hulu etc.

Several websites like Huluoffer your favorite network and cable TV shows. The free version of Hulu and other sites have limited episodes or you can sign up for Hulu Plus, the paid version of Hulu, and a show's full season.

I'll talk more about video streaming via websites like Hulu next time.

How To Get Started

1. Go to each network's website and take a quick look around to see if they have content that interests you. Also look for a page that shows what supported devices can be used for the content. If you like what you see, take the next step which is to sign up for a free account.

2. On the signup page, you should be able to click to read the Terms of Service. Do this so you know how they will use the information you register. In most cases, they will embed a cookie of course, use your information to make sure you don't get content that may be denied by your country of residence, send you notices of new content, and use your info however they can to monetize their site. That's pretty standard, but read the TofS to make sure you're not allowing them something else. Also, in the TofS, the way to opt-out of targeted ads is usually spelled out. If you're okay with their TofS, then proceed.

Eventually, a new tooth will be attached to that post, but several months lie between now and the actual new tooth implant.

Step one was not as difficult as I had feared. Of course, regular doses of codeine and phenergan helped. For now, I have a temporary mouth appliance called a flipper with a cute little temporary tooth attached to it to fill the gap where the old tooth was.

I'm not feeling too well today, but it's not as bad as it could be. Ah, the marvels of modern dentistry. Expensive but marvelous. Francis O'Walsh said: A hospital should also have a recovery room adjoining the cashier's office."

Dear Comment Spammers: May I be honest with you and those who pay you to scatter meaningless comments all over the Internet?

I respect the fact that you are just trying to make a living. I've seen the freelance job posting websites where clients pay for posting blog comments containing their website URL.

I know that most of you are not English-first speakers. Even though you may speak perfect English, writing in English is a different skill. I absolutely allow and support bloggers of other countries, but I find it easy to differentiate their legitimate comments from your spam comments.

I know that you willingly contract with clients to post a hundred or more comments for a few dollars. When you do it every day of the week though, it does add up. As I said, I respect your right to earn a living, but I will not let you spam my blog. Even if your comment contains a URL not hot-linked, it still won't be published.

Therefore, I take this opportunity to tell you and those who hire you a few things that you must not know.

1. All blog platforms have automatic spam filters.

Even if you do not have to verify with a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart), a spam filter is in place and working behind the scenes to grab perceived spam comments.

A spam post will be caught. I review all comments every week. I delete when it's obvious they're nothing more than a spammer paid to post to blog comments. Your comment will not appear. Ever.

2. This blog has a time limit on comments. Any comment older than a certain number of days (my secret) has to be approved by me before it will appear. So don't bother going back to old posts and sticking your meaningless comment on a post older than a week to the beginning of time for this blog. Your comment will not appear. Ever.

Sample Comments; Why They Were Not Approved

Comments like these below are shown as written with misspellings, typos, and all. These are spam comments and will not be published in the Comments section. Ever.

Comment:Appreciate this post. Will try it out. my blog: NAME OF CHEAP WEB HOST. Posted on Random Friday: Cake, Kindle Unlimited, Latest Plagiarism, Holidays, published 08/22/2014. Reason for Deleting Comment: The informational post with links to other web pages on which the comment was made had nothing to try out, just something of interest to share with readers.

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Comment: Un profond remeгciement à l'administrateur de ce site web Also visit my blog poszt PORN WEBSITE NAME DELETED. Translation: . on How to Add Amazon Slideshow Widget to a Website A deep remeгciement the administrator of this website Also visit my blog PORN WEBSITE NAME DELETED. Posted on How to Add Amazon Slideshow Widget to a Website, published 08/11/2014.Reason for Deleting Comment: No thanks. I do not visit porn websites nor do I wish to pass the link on to my readers. If they're so inclined in that pursuit, I'm sure they can find you on their own.

Comment: Wonderful article! We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the great writing. Here is my site :: NAME OF HACK WEBSITE. Posted on Barbara Graham & Imaginary Friends, an author interview published 11/30/2011.Reason for Deleting Comment: I wouldn't waste my time to see if you linked to my post. I don't know that I would want my blog mentioned on a hack site. *sigh* I don't know why but Barbara's guest post has attracted major spam attention. Looking on the bright side, she's a wonderful author so maybe her witty words just attract attention.

Comment:View other Seattle Free Stuff articles or visit Cindy's blog at for frugal tips, free stuff and advice on saving money. Photographs are very important for event management companies; hence many opportunities are available in this field for professional photographers. Of course, there are plenty of professionals who never attended a single class, so it's up to you to decide what works best for your career. Here is my web site ... NAME OF PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE. Posted on Read Me! Love Me! Thrill Me!, 11/01/2011.Reason for Deleting Comment: How lovely that this spammer thinks a post featuring 10 other authors and what thrills them in books is a suitable vehicle to push (a) Seattle stuff (b) Cindy's frugal tips, and (c) a photography course. Not on my blog. Go peddle your multiple spam comments elsewhere please.

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Comment: It's a shame you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate to this outstanding blog! I suppose for now i'll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon! Feel free to visit NAME OF HOME IMPROVEMENT BLOG. Posted on Netflix Review: The Numbers Station, 07/18/2014.Reason for Deleting Comment: Oh, but I do have a donate button. Please feel free to click it one time for each word of your spam comment. But that still won't get your comment published. Comment has nothing to do with the post of SlingWords.

Comment: The Nokia 5228 is such a good phone that has the price of a midrange phone and features of a high end phone. The local Palomar College in San Marcos offers some of the best adult workshops I have ever experienced, at a fairly low cost. Learning the basics of good photography can take the help of a professional. My blog post :: PHOTOGRAPHER PUSHING HIS/HER BOOK. Posted on Read Me! Love Me! Thrill Me!, 11/01/2011.Reason for Deleting Comment: Yes, this interview post featuring 10 other authors garnered tons of spam comments, none of which had anything remotely germane to the post content.

I could go on and on, and some are hilarious, but what's the point? Nearly every post I publish gets multiple spam comments. Some posts seem to attract mega attention from the spammers. Many comments come from the same people. After a bit, you recognize them by their style.

Every week I go in to Comments, review them all, and delete them all. Occasionally, I find a legitimate comment. I immediately let it publish and reply to it.

Takeaway Truth

I wish this post would be taken to heart by spammers and those who hire them, but I doubt if any of you ever read any of the posts on which you leave comments. If you did, you'd realize how ludicrous the comments are. Keep leaving your comments, and I'll keep deleting them. Just as I deleted the 45 I found today.

I'm writing this the night before my little bit of surgery. You may or may not hear from me again depending on how zonked on pain killers I'll be.

I've been trying to get all my ducks in a row. It really does help you take control of your life to work at least 30 minutes a day on a project until it's completed.

You know the kind of projects I mean--filing, accounting, updating records--all those pesky details we put off.

Scuttlebutt

Here are a few tidbits for your consumption. Leave a comment on any of these with your email addy and win a free book. All commentators will win.

Friday is Cake Day

First, let's talk about what's really important. Cake. I received the recipe for Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes in my email from Betty Crocker. Yes, Betty and I are email buddies. You've got to try this!

Kindle Unlimited

Feedback from many authors is that their sales have dropped significantly and the "borrows" aren't making up for the downfall.

Readers, have you enrolled in the Kindle Unlimited program? If so, do you find yourself reading more or the same?

Writers, have you enrolled? Has it helped or hurt your sales?

Latest Plagiarism Incident

It's spreading like wildfire through the online writers' groups. Please, before you name the alleged plagiarist, please be aware that there is another woman of the same name who is an upstanding citizen so don't go defaming the name without making sure you identify the true alleged culprit.

Some names are pretty common. My own is one of those. I can't tell you how many Google Alerts I get with my name featured. Lots of obituary notices. *LOL* Also a woman who has my name likes to post inflammatory political statements. I really wish she'd change her name.

Yikes! Holidays Are Coming

I don't know how many shopping days until Christmas, but I do know that it's not enough! Want to give your writer friends a special gift? If you need a gift for a writer--or a promotional item--visit my CafePress shop, WriteWay.

One of the most popular items in my shop is the Writer's Christmas Ornament -- use this direct link, and the price is less than if you search for the item in the CafePress Marketplace. The ornament comes in several shapes. The one shown is snowflake.

WriteWay isn't just for writers. There are plenty of items that appeal to readers.

Grab a cup of coffee and get comfy. Award-winning author Pamela S. Thibodeaux is joining us again this morning. Pam is Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and she's multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction.

Her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Today Pam is talking about her novel Tempered Fire, part of the Tempered Series. Watch the video below to learn more about this series.

About Tempered Fire, Book 3: Tempered Series

Amber Harris is a good girl on the brink of womanhood. Stanley Morrison is a young man at the start of his life. Will they survive the wishes of everyone around them with their relationship intact?

When did you write Tempered Fire?

Tempered Fire was initially written as the 2nd story in a “two-book” series (Tempered Hearts & Tempered Fire). However, when the other two (Tempered Dreams & Tempered Joy) evolved over the course of time, Tempered Fire turned out to be the third in a 4 part (one day 5 part) series. Tempered Fire and Tempered Dreams run parallel in time and was initially published by ComStar Media in 2006. The reprint is published by my personal imprint, Temperance Publishing.

What was the spark that gave you the story idea?

Every daddy is challenged with letting go of his little girl and when Craig Harris, the hero in Tempered Hearts, thinks to himself he would be “made of tougher stock if he had a daughter” I could imagine this big, tough cowboy having to face the fact and let go when his baby girl grows up and finds love of her own.

Why do readers buy Tempered Fire?

Of course I pray folks buy Tempered Fire because they’ve fallen in love with the characters and want to follow the series, but I also hope readers connect with the story itself and find encouragement in dealing with the challenges all parents face in raising their children up in “the way they should go” as the Bible instructs.

I'm pleased to welcome novelist and former newspaper reporter Sharon Ervin to SlingWords this morning. Sharon has a B.A. degree in journalism from OU (Oklahoma University). She lives in McAlester, Oklahoma, is married and has four grown children.

Sharon said: "I like and write novels laced with a little romance. Nightingale, my first and only historical romance, is my 10th published novel."

England, 1840Bright and enterprising, Jessica Blair, 18, supplements her scullery maid’s income by selling eggs from cast-off hens she has collected; therefore, she is alarmed when horsemen race along the footpath she has inadvertently cut to her coops. She waylays the charge to find the noisy threat is one huge, riderless horse. Ignorant of the danger of an overwrought stallion, she calms the animal, then backtracks to find the owner, wounded and waiting for daylight. But for Devlin Miracle, 29, the arrogant Twelfth Duke of Fornay, there will be no daylight. Thieves’ savage blows have left him blind.

Nightingale was inspired by my innate nosiness and a writer friend who coaxed me to tour Ancestry.com. That place is tricky footing for a curious person who innocently ambles aboard. All I intended was to have a look-see and be on my way, only to find myself firmly stuck there.

Dabbling, I learned that Queen Victoria was only 17 when she took the throne of England. Soon after, she fell hopelessly in love––something that was simply not done among royals in 1840's England––with her cousin, Albert.

Victoria was a bit stodgy, preferred her dresses long and her necklines high, but she was smart and attractive and girls of the day emulated her.

I have read a lot of historical romance, but the genre was foreign to me as a writer. An hour into my tour of Victoria's time and life, a wistful character named Jessica Blair skipped through my imagination, and I was hooked.

Writing the book took less than three months. It flowed. Some manuscripts do that.

Jessica is bright and was well educated by her deceased professor father and a mother who can conjugate Latin verbs.

Sole support of her mother, but not to be defeated by her lowly status as a scullery maid's assistant in a country manor house, Jessica collects cast-off hens that she keeps in pens constructed of broken barrels. She is alarmed when horses race toward her little produce house, only to discover not many horses, but a single, noisy, riderless stallion. Jessica calms the animal, then guilt trips herself into backtracking to find his missing rider.

Jessica and the horse locate Devlin Miracle, the Twelfth Duke of Fornay, in the brush beside the highway waiting for daylight. But for the haughty duke, there will be no daylight. Injuries at the hands of thieves have left him blind.

Jessica is skeptical when Devlin claims to be a peer of the realm.

To his chagrin, the duke’s usually fractious stallion, Vindicator, follows and obeys Jessica like a pet. Further, the girl, repeatedly corrected, persists in referring to his warhorse as “Sweetness.”

For her part, Jessica rankles that the duke treats her as a child rather than the woman grown she claims to be, and orders her about as if she lacks good sense. Also grating, he calls her Nightingale, likening her voice to that bird’s calming trill.

Takeaway Truth

Sharon is giving away 1 print copy of Nightingale. To be entered to win, simply leave a comment with your email address. (Write it out, don't leave as a hot link because the spammers will get it.) Sharon will contact the winner by email to make arrangements to deliver the prize. Comments will be open until August 26. The winner will be notified on or after August 27.

The Thursday3Some Spotlight is shining on Sheila Parker and her book, The Spirit Within. So let's get a cup of coffee and meet Sheila.

About Sheila Parker
Sheila is an author, illustrator and a poet with worldwide recognition from The International Who’s Who in Poetry. Something I learned that I found fascinating is that she is also a public speaker with expertise in the paranormal.

College student, Cassandra Blakemore, may seem to have the perfect life on the outside with her loving family and friends, but on the inside she harbors a terror created by her abusive boyfriend, Raleigh Nichols, who quickly sinks his way deep into the bottom of the bottle. Battered and betrayed, she soon discovers hidden abilities while her own secrets unfold. As if levitation, telekinesis and premonitions weren't enough, what else is Cassandra Blakemore hiding?

When did you write The Spirit Within?

I wrote The Spirit Within back in the early part of 2008.

What was the spark that gave you the story idea?

My inspiration was driven by the mysterious world of the unknown. I love paranormal things, and I wanted to create an exhilarating story about a young lady who finds an inner strength after facing her worst nightmare, all the while, discovering her own supernatural abilities that she never knew she had.

Why do readers buy The Spirit Within?

According to the amazing feedback that I've been given from my wonderful readers, they've said that they were drawn into the engaging story and loved how the supernatural played into realistic events. The Spirit Within has received many outstanding reviews!

Grab your coffee and settle in while I introduce my guest today, Victoria Adams who lives in Ontario, Canada.

Victoria loves writing, gardening and Raks Sharqi--that's belly dancing in case you don't know. (And I did not know this! I love learning something new each week from my guests.)

Victoria writes New Adult Fiction. For those who may not know, New Adult is the newest genre in Fiction--written for the newly-minted adult.

Don't confuse this with the traditional Young Adult genre. These stories are edgier and written with the lifestyle, needs, and desires of the target audience of 17 years old and beyond. This is not your mother's YA!

After an ugly past forced Hunter Connolly to escape to Europe, the talented hockey player is back in North America and determined to land a position with a professional team. But he can’t hide from his past forever, especially when his beautiful classmate, Chelsea, forces him to reexamine his life. Soon, hockey is not his first priority anymore.

Chelsea Henderson is a bright co-ed working towards her dream of being a professional dancer. She forms a unique friendship with one of her father’s newest recruits and would love nothing more than to take it to the next level. However, there’s just one small problem. He doesn’t know she’s his coach’s daughter.

Amid the deceptions, danger lurks closer than they could ever imagine. Will fate contrive to rip the young lovers apart? Or will Hunter and Chelsea have their shot at love?

3. As an author, what can readers expect when they read one of your books?

Nothing that they'd expect from other books. My characters are flawed. My character, Hunter, was described as a manwhore, which is a perfect description. He's a 21 year-old, good-looking hockey player. If I'd created him as a perfect young man then A) that would be unrealistic. I know a few young hockey players – manwhore is a great description. B) When he finally falls in love and is faithful to one woman it shows the depth of his love.

4. How did you "become" an author? For instance, was there a moment when you said: "I think I'll write a book."

I taught high school. Two of my students complained that there was nothing for them to read – pre-Twilight. So I wrote a book.

5. What's the best thing about being an author?

Being able to work in your pjs all day.

6. What's the worst thing about being an author?

Waiting for reviews. You've put your book out there and now you have to wait.

7. Do you have editions of your books available other than ebook editions?

Not yet. I am going to have a paperback version, but I just haven't got to that point yet.

8. Do you listen to audio books? If so, what device do you use?

Not yet. But I plan on it.

9. What device do you use to read ebooks?

My laptop.

10. If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

Be yourself. There are expectations of what a romance should be or how a character should act. If those expectations don't match your style or your character don't change. You can only write like you.

11. If you could tell readers one thing, what would it be?

I'm a story teller not a writer.

12. What is your big dream (or goal) as a writer?

To keep writing. I have no illusions of making the bestseller list or having Hollywood call and beg to make one of my books into a movie. I just want to create stories.

I don't care if you're writing a note card to a friend or writing a book, sometimes you just get stuck for what to say and how to say it.

5 Ways to Get Unstuck

1. On a piece of paper, jot down a few words that cover what you're trying to say. If it's a sympathy card, write down a few compassionate words to focus your mind on the comfort you're trying to give.

If it's a scene, write a couple of sentences about what you're trying to show in that scene. What's the action? Who's doing the action? What's the outcome? Who's doing the reacting?

Don't worry about making it "pretty" or profound or anything like that. Just get the gist of it down.

2. Make a list of all the things you think of in connection with what you're writing.

These words on your list might include words of emotion or words of action depending on what you're writing.

3. Ask questions and wait for your imagination to supply the answers.

If you're writing a note of some kind, you might ask: "What would I want to hear if I were on the receiving end of this card?" Or, if you're stuck writing a scene, ask specific questions: "Why would Jennifer go down to the dark basement when she's scared of the creepy place?" Or, "What happens next?" Or, "What could make this situation even worse?"

Ask the question and just let your fingers fly over the keyboard, typing as fast as the thoughts flow, without stopping to make corrections or edit. That's the way to turn off the internal editor and open yourself to your imagination.

4. Cluster a word as a way to chase down ideas and thoughts.

This is another way to turn off the internal editor so you're not nagged by the technical aspects of "correct" writing. It's great for figuring out which way to go when you haven't a clue.

Just write a word in a circle in the center of a blank piece of paper. Then draw lines from it like spokes on a wheel and write down whatever pops into your head at the end of a spoke. After a bit, you'll see a pattern develop. This will lead you in a specific direction of thought. When you sense this direction, start writing down the thoughts that come to you.

5. Take a walk.

Last month, I blogged about Take a Walk: Lose Weight; Increase Creativity. If you're stuck, leave the computer. Take a short break. Walk around the house or outside for a few minutes. Breathe deeply. More oxygen to the brain helps. Do some mundane chores and just let your thoughts float free.

When you go back to the computer, you'll be able to get the words flowing.

Today, I'm going to show you how to set up an Amazon Slideshow, one of many widgets you can use, on your blog.

After this lesson, you shouldn't have any problem setting others up. The instructions that follow are for Blogger, but most website and blog templates work the same way even though some of the terminology may be different.

Instructions

1. Open your blog dashboard. If you're on Blogger, you'll see on the left side, actions you can take. Scroll down and find LAYOUT. Click that.

2. Next, Login to your Amazon Associate account. Click the WIDGETS tab at the top of the page. Scroll side to side and you'll see the widget for SLIDESHOW.

3. Click ADD THIS TO WEB PAGE. Slideshow widget design window opens. You'll see a form to click for dropdown of products. Find your books or the other products you want to display and click to add to your slideshow.

Example, find KINDLE STORE on the dropdown then in the empty box to the right either type in the name of your book or just put your author name. It will pull up all books with that name with a thumbprint of the cover.

4. Click ADD PRODUCT and it will be moved to the right column where you can also add a comment or leave that blank. If you add a comment be sure and click save.

5. Select all that you want. I think the horizontal slideshow is limited to 10 items. I use the horizontal slideshow because it fits my blog better. You can use a vertical or carousel which allows you to display more items. (There is also a carousel widget if you want to use it instead.)

6. After you've added every item you want, click NEXT STEP.

7. A new window opens that lets you format your slideshow. You can select every category to customize it. In the first group of CONTENT AND LAYOUT, each type has additional options available. The one I've got is SCROLLING SIDESHOW and if you select that, an option to have it horizontal or vertical opens.

8. Select all your options you want then click ADD TO MY WEBPAGE. It will create JAVA script. Click to HIGHLIGHT AND COPY. Then close that window, but leave your login page open because you may want to go back and edit the slideshow after you've posted it and seen how it looks.

9. Go to your blogger dashboard with the Layout option showing. Wherever you want the slideshow to appear--left or right sidebar or bottom or top--click ADD A GADGET. The Gadget window opens. Scroll down until you find HTML/JAVA SCRIPT and click it.

10. A window opens. PASTE THE JAVA SCRIPT AMAZON CREATED INTO THAT BOX. You can put a title on it if you want or leave it blank. Click SAVE when you are finished.

11. Shuffle that gadget/widget to whatever position you want it on your blog. When you've got it where you want it, click SAVE ARRANGEMENT. After it saves, click VIEW BLOG. A new window opens with your blog as viewed on the internet, and you should see the slideshow where you put it. Sometimes, it may take a few seconds for it to start up.

12. If the slideshow is moving too fast or slow and you want to edit it, go back to your Amazon Associates page, and click MY WIDGETS in left sidebar. You'll see the one you just created. At this time, change the name of it to something recognizable in case you add multiple slideshows so you can edit the correct one when you want to change it.

13. On MY WIDGETS, you'll see a list of all widgets you have. You can edit them, rename them, copy them to put in another website or whatever. When you edit an existing widget and you click SAVE, it will automatically update the existing widget on your blog. You don't have to copy and paste the code again.

Takeaway Truth

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, leave them in Comments. Now go forth and MONETIZE!

Fear lives in all humans. What we fear may differ, but there's no doubt that we all must face fear at some point.

Have you learned how to act even though you're afraid? Chances are, if you've achieved anything in life, then, yes. You have at some point acted in the presence of fear.

Experts say only fear of the dark and fear of falling are genetically encoded in humans. All the other fears are personally and individually created. Lovely thought, isn't it?

Destructive Power

I can think of few things as destructive as fear. Just set out to achieve something amazing, and fear rears its ugly head. Some call it fear of success. Others label it fear of failure. Maybe it's both. Who knows? All I know is that it's the small voice inside your head that tells you you won't succeed. A friend told me the voice sounds exactly like her mother. Now that's sad, isn't it?

Lesson Learned

Ask any writer or anyone who tries to create something where nothing existed before about fear. If they're honest, they'll tell you they fight fear on a daily basis. Fear of the blank page. Fear of not being able to tell the story well enough. Fear that a book won't sell. Fear that readers won't like it.

If I've learned one thing, it's that fear can paralyze you if you focus on all those negative thoughts. If you want to achieve anything in life, you have to go forth and do battle every day. Fight the fear, whatever it may be, by acting in the presence of it.

Be Empowered

Acting in spite of the fear means you gain power over it. Every day you confront it and take action anyway is a day you are victorious. Have enough of those days, and, guess what? It gets easier.

When you cave to the fear, you give it power over you and lose all that you might otherwise gain. If you want to achieve something extraordinary, fight the good fight every day. Overcoming fear is as much a habit as it is anything.

Takeaway Truth

Stick it to fear and seize the power to create the life you want to live.

I'm a big music lover--very eclectic taste. When I saw music documentaries on Netflix and on Amazon Prime, I added several to my respective Lists.

I was blown away by these 3 documentaries. The people behind the scenes, the music, the musicians, the singers and bands, the stories of how these songs came to be--these documentaries tell it all. The history is rich in detail. Time and again, you'll marvel at how some songs just seemed to come through some magical process. The stories are phenomenal and so is the music.

I hate to repeat myself, but wow! Sound City, the little studio in Van Nuys, California, and its famous soundboard built in 1972, recorded chart toppers from the 1970's to the 1990s.

This documentary is the story of the custom-built Neve 8028 recording console, the music producers, and the most memorable rock and roll albums ever recorded. The interviews alone are worth the price of streaming it if you're not an Amazon Prime member. And the music? Oh, my, it's just wonderful.

This documentary takes you to the rockers who made the music and those who worked with the sound board. Read more about Sound City.

Okay, I know this is redundant, but wow! I watched this docu on Netflix, but the link above is to Amazon since they offer it for rent or sale. It's probably my southern background, but I really loved this.

Motown had its Funk Brothers, but those guys had nothing on the Muscle Shoals Swampers. Remember that line in Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama: "Muscle Shoals has its Swampers..."?

Well, that line is about these guys--the ones Paul Simon asked for: "I want those black guys that played on I'll Take You There."

Except, they were the whitest black guys around. Bono described the Swampers as: "Three white guys who looked like they should be working at the local supermarket."

Again, the stories behind the songs, the singers, the musicians, the power brokers--it's all here and all captivating, from early R&B to Southern Rock to English invasion. Read more about Muscle Shoals.

Takeaway Truth

If you love American music, do yourself a favor and watch these. The music profiled in these documentaries was, and still is, the soundtrack of my life. And probably yours too.

Today's Thursday3Some spotlight is shining on Ilona Fridl and her novel Iris Rainbow.

Who Is Ilona Fridl

Ilona writes for The Wild Rose Press. In July, her latest book, Prime Catch, was published.

Find Ilona Fridl Online

Website: http://www.ilonafridl.com

About Iris Rainbow

A rock star falls in love with one of his fans. Years later, they meet each other again. Is the love still there?

When did you write Iris Rainbow?

It was my first manuscript that began in the late nineties. I sold four novels before this one, but I knew with revisions, it would be a good story.

What was the spark that gave you the story idea?

Originally, it was the song Your Wildest Dreams by The Moody Blues. I remember thinking to myself, that would be a great story. Also at the same time, I was reading articles about lovers who were torn apart at an early age and went on to establish families. Later, through death or divorce of their spouses, the lovers find each other and fall in love again.

Why do readers buy Iris Rainbow?

Especially for people who lived through the sixties, there will be recognition of events and people who made the decade famous and infamous. And how strong is the power of love.

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Even though my name is not Paige Turner, I'm a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. You can find my books in audio, ebook, and print with several of my romances in French from MILADY Romance (Bragelonne), my French publisher. I live my happily ever after in Texas with my hero, my husband.

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